There’s a Lot to Look Forward To
Video game adaptations have had a spotty history. While some adaptations, like Detective Pikachu or The Witcher, have received critical acclaim, poorer adaptations like Resident Evil or Monster Hunter are much more common.
Still, there’s a lot of reason to be excited for the upcoming adaptations of The Last of Us and Uncharted. Video games have evolved a lot in the past few years, to the point where it’s harder to deny them as a legitimate art form – and Uncharted and The Last of Us are at the crest of the wave. Both franchises have received critical acclaim and are well-suited for adaptations, with Uncharted’s blockbuster action playing out like a more high-octane Indiana Jones, whereas The Last of Us could well fill a “The Walking Dead” shaped hole in many people’s schedules with its combination of heartfelt storytelling and gruesome “zombie” action.
PlayStation boss Jim Ryan has offered some updates on both adaptations, claiming that both are on track with Sony’s projections. This will doubtless come as welcome news to people who were afraid that either adaptation could be delayed. After all, a movie adaptation of The Last of Us was in the works as far back as 2014 with Sam Raimi and Maisie Williams.
However, we shouldn’t assume that this means we’ll get either adaptation imminently. Uncharted’s filming has been completed, but the editing is likely to take a while for what’s likely to be such an effects and action-heavy movie. As for The Last of Us, it hasn’t even entered full production, and no cast has been announced apart from Joel and Ellie.
Unfortunately, we’ll need to keep waiting to see how the adaptations will play out – and whether PlayStation Productions will go down the route of Square Pictures, who produced one film before going bust. Still, it’s nice to know that, barring any further pandemic-related delays, we shouldn’t be getting any delays – at least, as it stands.
